Various universities from Karachi participated in the program to port their
applications onto the Nokia Store

Sameer Nazir
KARACHI: Microsoft Devices kicked off the Nokia X Portathon across various universities of Karachi. Nokia X Portathon, is a unique application porting program where developers port their Android applications onto the Nokia Store getting the advantages of Nokia X platform along with the range of Nokia X devices.

Nokia X Portathon garnered much traction from students and graduates belonging to University of Karachi, IBA, FAST, FUUAST, SSUET and others. A series of workshop sessions delivered at universities supported by digital engagement activities helped hundreds of developers to join and gain awareness of Nokia X platform opportunities. The Portathon workshop sessions were conducted by Sameer Ahmed Khan, Nokia Developer Champion and supervised by Syed Abdul Basit, DX Partner Manager, Microsoft Devices Pakistan.

Speaking on the occasion, Kamran Masood Niazi, Communications Manager, Microsoft Devices Pakistan said: “We introduced the Nokia X range of affordable smartphones which are built on the Android Open Source Project (AOSP), the software stack upon which some of the most popular smartphones in the world are based. This program was conducted to tap into Pakistan’s hub of young enthusiastic developers, and guide them in porting their apps on the Nokia Store. This way, we enriched the Nokia Store with incredible local content and honed their skills which will facilitate them in the future”.

The participants were offered various rewards through the DVLUP program, which uses a gamification model to create a fun, inventive and competitive environment for developers to build successful Windows Phone, Nokia X and Asha mobile applications. Through this initiative, developers can earn badges and experience points (known as “XP”) by completing quizzes and challenges related to application development. By creating high-quality applications, developers can also earn additional points and unlock even greater opportunities.

At the conclusion of the program, participants were awarded 100 XP points on the DVLUP portal and a free NDO membership. The prizes were distributed at the closing ceremony and included Nokia Lumia, Nokia X, Nokia XL phones, developer tools, and other related accessories.